UK citizen alleges Honolulu police depriving his gun rights

2015-11-12T21:32:33Z2015-11-12T21:32:33Z

File image of handguns

By JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHERAssociated Press

HONOLULU (AP) - A United Kingdom citizen who is a legal permanent resident of the United States alleges in a lawsuit that the Honolulu Police Department discriminates against non-U.S. citizens by making it difficult for them to obtain firearm permits.

Hawaii has some of the strongest gun laws in the nation.

Hawaii only granted permits to U.S. citizens until a federal judge in Honolulu last year ruled that's unconstitutional.

Andrew Namiki Roberts' lawsuit filed last week says the police department is trying to get around that ruling by requiring those with green cards to obtain additional clearance from their countries of citizenship.

His lawyer Richard Holcomb says that's unfair. He says Roberts is being denied his right to own firearms for self-defense because of his birthplace.

The police department declined to comment.

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